011 Reality Based Training

08/27/2014

James Alan Fox nails it. "Commercial airlines train their flight crews to handle disaster situations—such as the unlikely 'water landing'—but passengers are only asked to watch a brief demonstration of grabbing hold of oxygen masks, without having actually to practice this maneuver. Cruise ships require that guests don life jackets and learn the location of their muster stations, but no one has to step foot inside a lifeboat or suffer the experience of being lowered into the water. In case of a catastrophe in the air or at sea, the passengers will be directed where to go and advised what to do.

This same reasonable posture should apply for schools: prepare the staff but spare the students. As with the usual pre-flight or pre-cruise protocols, a few simple instructions on escape strategy may be sensible. However, over-preparing students needlessly risks intensifying their fears and anxiety."

I can only think of a few of reasons this would go on, i. ignorance, ii. state indoctrination and fear mongering and/or iii. both of the aforementioned.

12/08/2012

I had just come to a stop when they pulled into my driveway directly behind me. Their headlights were set to high beams and I couldn’t see them for the glare in the rearview mirror. Chris was always showing up in a hurry, vehemently telling me to “get ready, we’re going out”. By the time I set the parking brake and turned off the stereo, Chris was not at my side window as I expected, maybe it wasn’t him. As I turned the key off, the headlights from behind dimmed and the glare reduction allowed me to see the passenger pulling a ski mask over his face in my rearview mirror. The driver was already stepping out of the car.

10/15/2012

You are a business owner sitting in your office finishing up
some paperwork when you hear somebody scream. The scream is immediately followed
by a gunshot, and then all hell breaks loose with more screams as gunshots
begin to ring out successively.

As seconds tick by more lives are shattered, lost, and
families destroyed.

What do you do?

Do you do as the Department of Homeland Security advises,
which is to run, hide, lock yourself in a room, dial 911, and hope for the best
while other innocents are slaughtered around you, only fighting once you have
been caught in the madman’s sights?

08/09/2012

Years ago when I was working for a certain federal agency, I was instructing on the firing line with my friend Evan Marshall (the shooter and author, not the mandolinist). During a lull in shooting, the agents were asked to unload and show clear, which brought a chuckle from Evan.

Knowing that Evan often has an astute observation to share after such a chuckle, I gave him an inquisitive look and he commented, “Ever notice that the only place that police and military aren’t trusted with loaded firearms is on the range?”

03/21/2012

A critical component in warfare, the bullet has not significantly changed in design throughout the course of history and various conflicts. Looking specifically at the rifle bullet, some might argue that the last great improvement happened in 1882, when Major Eduard Rubin, director of the Swiss Army Laboratory at Thun, invented the copper-jacketed bullet — an elongated bullet with a lead core in a copper jacket.

That last innovation happened nearly 130 years ago.

As a member of the military for 37 years and Sergeant Major of the Army for four years, I would argue that a major innovation happened to the rifle bullet much more recently, with the introduction of the Man Marker Round (MMR), the first technology specifically designed, engineered and expertly manufactured for reality-based training.

As part of the Army’s Close Combat Mission Capability Kit (CCMCK), this new innovative, force-on-force training ammunition is helping to save lives. Force-on-force training ammunition demonstrates a major shift in the world of ammunition, its impact is sure to be documented in future history books. Specifically, the MMR’s introduction to the Army and other divisions of the military is making troops more adept in close combat warfare.

Impact of FORCE-ON-FORCEThe military and in my experience, the Army, is a family in the truest sense of the word. The most devastating experience in the world is to lose a member of your family. Staying proficient allows soldiers to take better care of one another and ensure a safe return home. I’ve always said that Commanders and Sergeants Major at every level and within every command need to keep an eye out for new technology that will help to bring more members of our military family back from battle safely.

03/06/2012

In the search for new shooting ranges, please consider airsoft pistols and rifles. An airsoft weapon uses compressed gas to shoot plastic BB’s. The airsoft replicas are very similar to actual handguns and rifles. No hearing protection is required. No special ventilation is required. (See Air Soft Gun on Wikipedia). An airsoft Glock replica costs under $150. Three thousand rounds of BBs and compressed gas cost under $25. Airsoft replicas are used by many law enforcement agencies for training. Let’s adopt the latest technology and make Asheville and Buncombe County leaders in high-quality, low-cost law enforcement training.Paul King, Asheville

02/28/2012

The 2012 Pulse O2DA Training Schedule is NOW ONLINE and open for registration. All of our classes have space and are filled on a first come - first serve basis.

We have one objective at Pulse O2DA - to teach our clients the gun fighting skills necessary to win the fight of their life. To master the chaos that results when a lethal force confrontation is thrust upon you. We don't teach competitive shooting or recreational gun handling skills. We teach a devastatingly effective gun fighting methodology we created called the Pulse Engine, a method that quite simply unravels an adversary...continued here

03/03/2011

This is the third post of a multiple part series covering the need for reality based training. For part one, please click here, for part two, please click here, and for the free .pdf download of the entire series, please click here.

I began the first part of this series with the direct assertion that even great competitive shooters who do not engage in RBT are unnecessarily putting their lives at risk by falsely placing their faith in their competitive skills. I then laid the foundation for the argument and concluded the first post by explaining the task triad and how it directly affects the shooter.

02/25/2011

This is the second post of a multiple part series covering the topic of the need for reality based training. For part one, please click here, for part three, please click here, and for the free .pdf download of the entire series, please click here.

I began the first part of this series with the candid and rather bold assertion that even if one were a great shooter in competitive circles, but did not engage in RBT, he would not truly be prepared for what will become the fight of his life.